Morris Minor Owners Club

Having seen some of the reports on TV, there doesn't seem to have been a great depth of snow and it seems to me that snow causes more problems than it once did. I recall going to school in much worse weather than this; we had one old school bus driver, who never failed (Much to our chagrin at the time). I'd say the Winter of 1978/79 and some in the 80's and 90's were far worse than this today and they went on for longer but we seemed to manage better. Is it simply that it's less common now (After the last harsh winter of 2010/11, I bought a yellow salt bin for the shop and it's had little use since), Health & Safety culture or are we just getting soft? We've covered modern cars and their shortcomings in bad weather elsewhere. My father recently pointed out that few people work near home any more, so with more cars on the roads, we are now more at risk of traffic chaos.

Here is a photo the 1947 Winter (A bit before my time), when a pair of jet engines were used to clear a railway line (What is today the A465 road). That was the one where my grandfather had to break into a railway hut to find shelter, as the opening blizzard took hold (The trains had stopped and he attempted to walk home along the trackside). He secured the hut next morning and upon getting home, found a single decker bus totally buried outside the house. By all accounts the snow lasted 6 weeks.

Great picture. I wonder which section of the A456 now lies there (A456 is my main escape route from Kidderminster).

IMHO it's the Health & Safety restrictions, born of 'Claim Culture' which, certainly in part, impedes us in bad weather. I noted in today's BBC afternoon news that Paddington station in London was closed for a while because snow had blown in and settled on the passenger concourse, causing a safety issue.

It's the A465, a road that runs from Bromyard to Swansea. The section in question is Dowlais Top, above Merthyr Tydfil. It can be raining in Merthyr town but snowing when you get to Dowlais Top, just three miles away.

I saw the Paddington thing and was puzzled....wondered if there was problem with the roof?

My mistake... read 465 as 456... Doh!!!

The Paddington thing... Looks like a comparatively recent new shiny expensive flooring installation to create a pleasant environment in which passengers can wait/get delayed/get stranded. Probably has less slip-resistance than good old fashioned asphalt! The roof-space is cavernous and probably has plenty of gaps that snow can blow in through!

Just looked out of my window there's a dog walker going past the dog is well wrapped up in a dog blanket and the walker is wearing shorts !!
I just saw that the Chatham ski and snowboard centre has had to close due to inclement weather.

Our postman is still wearing shorts...but the buses have stopped running. He is a mature sort of chap, so I understand his stoicism but don't get his fashion sense!

The elderly chap who delivers our local free paper was out today in his usual outfit: hiking boots and shorts; short-sleeve shirt under an unzipped jacket; safari hat

"Or are we just getting soft?" Are you kidding? Without all the technology we now depend on, most of us wouldn't have the slightest chance of surviving an Ice Age like our hardy, mammoth-hunting ancestors did thousands of years ago! In fact, how many could/would survive a breakdown in the modern food supply chain? Sobering though, eh?

myoldjalopy wrote: In fact, how many could/would survive a breakdown in the modern food supply chain? Sobering though, eh?

Let's face it, if 'logistical issues' can csuse a well known take-away fried chicken business to run out of chicken (on a dry day) then we're doomed !!!

myoldjalopy wrote:"Or are we just getting soft?" Are you kidding? Without all the technology we now depend on, most of us wouldn't have the slightest chance of surviving an Ice Age like our hardy, mammoth-hunting ancestors did thousands of years ago! In fact, how many could/would survive a breakdown in the modern food supply chain? Sobering though, eh?

What is missing in this world is Common Sense, if the roads are blocked with snow and ice walk to the local shops, don't jump in your car and try and drive 3 miles to the supermarket.
If the KFC has run out of chicken, cook you and your family a decent meal, there are plenty of recipes on the internet. They also have books which cover the same subject.
That's what's missing in this world, society has become mollycoddled and can't think for themselves anymore.

Winter 81/82 was far worse, but I was driving 200 miles most days, no incident. Only had to turn back once due to a massive drift. so went a different route. Went as low as -20C, Carried a couple of bags of sand as ballast and aid to grip on icy spots.

...and this week some of the bus drivers in Kidderminster have taken unofficial industrial action. Some of the local bus company's fleet (including vehicles dating from 1999) have no functioning heating and it's claimed too expensive to repair them.

Trickydicky wrote:

myoldjalopy wrote:"Or are we just getting soft?" Are you kidding? Without all the technology we now depend on, most of us wouldn't have the slightest chance of surviving an Ice Age like our hardy, mammoth-hunting ancestors did thousands of years ago! In fact, how many could/would survive a breakdown in the modern food supply chain? Sobering though, eh?

What is missing in this world is Common Sense, if the roads are blocked with snow and ice walk to the local shops, don't jump in your car and try and drive 3 miles to the supermarket.
If the KFC has run out of chicken, cook you and your family a decent meal, there are plenty of recipes on the internet. They also have books which cover the same subject.
That's what's missing in this world, society has become mollycoddled and can't think for themselves anymore.

There's a lot in that. I am in the middle of a book on the American Civil War. Given the strong advantages the Union had, the war should have been over sooner. One point highlighted, was that since many in the south (Of whom very few lived like the people portrayed in Gone with the Wind) lived fairly marginal existences, with high degrees of self sufficiency, they could endure blockades.

As to the issue of shopping, perhaps we need to walk to the shops all the time. If we only fall back on the local shops when the weather is bad, will they still be there for us (Use it or loose it as they say) and how can they be expected to cope with a sudden influx of customers?

We have become very transport dependent, whether due to jobs no longer being near where people live or deliveries of goods to peoples' homes. In the days of small shops, although wholesalers delivered to the shops, the wholesalers were more evenly dispersed than I suspect are supermarket distribution centres. In 1947, there was still rationing but I don't recall my parents or grandparents mentioning the six week freeze causing any particular chaos but neither of my grandfathers ever had more than 5 miles to commute throughout their working lives (Though one of them did move to London to find work and stayed there for not far off 20 years). Indeed my maternal grandmother probably worked the furthest from home, when she was "In service" and that was only 10 miles or so.

We should remember that it's not just bad weather that can throw a spanner in the works. Remember the petrol crisis of 2000?

KFC ran out of chicken........didn't know they ever had any .

It's back again! My old landy is covered in icicles.

Certainly is Not really settling here ... yet

We've got all of half-an-inch and it's just started again and the gritter has recently gone past - which usually means the sun will come out and every vehicle in use will go rusty - must spray another coat of waste oil under the Moggie.................

My road is a dead-end. Snow blowing in across open fields. Drifting to a couple of inches only. One way in and out involving a double S-bend on a hill with adverse camber. Luckily (?) a borough councillor lives four houses along from me so we get gritted as soon as the temperature hits freezing. Just means yet another week where Max sits idle

Just rubbish here. We were booked to see a concert in Chesterfield this evening but can't face going out on these icy roads. Tried to check if it was still on but the website and booking office are closed until tomorrow. Bye bye fifty quid I suspect!

It's becoming a serious PITA
Had another few inches fall overnight plus drifting. Couldn't get my modern off the drive. Mrs PB's Astra refused to start. Had to take her to the station in Max. Not ideal but desperate times... desperate measures etc! Just started snowing again now

Sorry about your concert @ SteveClem

Perhaps the winter tyres debate will become a Topic again? Was thinking of changing back to the normal sommer tyres on my modern car last week as it has been relatively warm recently. But having seen the forecast, quickly postponed that Task.
We drove today from a nice -8° and strong wind down into the valley where it was only -5° through the drifts with no Trouble at all. If we had had the summer tyres on, then I would be writing this from a Hospital bed. And no doubt, facing a Charge for driving an unfit vehicle.